Loyola University Chicago · BiologyCircadian Dynamics Lab
Daniel Cavanaugh · Chicago, Illinois
Research Focus
Dr. Daniel Cavanaugh's lab focuses on understanding how our internal body clock controls behaviors and physiological processes. Using fruit flies as a model, his research investigates the communication pathways between different types of neurons that form the circadian system. This work aims to uncover how disruptions to our circadian rhythms can lead to health issues and how these mechanisms can be studied at the molecular level.
circadian rhythmsDrosophilaneuron communicationbehavioral biologycell signaling
Research Aims
3AIM 01Identify neuronal signaling molecules used by the lateral posterior neurons to relay circadian information.
AIM 02Determine the circuit mechanisms that drive physiological rhythms in the absence of molecular clock function in LPNs.
AIM 03Investigate how lateral posterior neurons integrate circadian and temperature information to influence behavior.
Skills the Lab Values
cell-specific RNA interferencepatch clamp electrophysiologyimmunohistochemistrysingle-cell gene expressionbehavioral assays
Output against the department
Publications82bottom 25% of dept.772nd of 1,033
this lab
most publishedleast published
Citations2.9kbottom 21% of dept.813th of 1,033
this lab
most citedleast cited
Career totals from OpenAlex, compared against labs that share a department. A department spans everything from one paper to tens of thousands, so bar heights are on a log scale — otherwise the largest lab would flatten every other bar to a line.